“For two years, I slept on a corner with nothing but a cardboard box and some plastic to shield me from the cold”

Former Wedge Gardens treatment centre resident Lehlogonolo Antony achieved sobriety and is now helping others.

The 28-year-old Antony arrived at the treatment centre in October 2016 suffering from long-term alcoholism, drug abuse, homelessness and untreated HIV. Today, he is clean and leads a life assisting and educating others about the dangers of substance abuse.

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The spokesperson for the centre, Cathy Grosvenor said, “He started doing drugs as a young teen and by 17, was using heroin and crack. Over the next decade, he tried nine rehab centres before finally finding Wedge after a near-death experience.”

He joined the centre’s 12-step programme which took a holistic approach to sobriety and he has been clean for a year. He said, “Wedge Gardens helped my get onto antiretroviral treatment and to come out to my family and friends about my HIV status. Because of them, I am today an HIV and drug abuse activist.”

He added, “It got so bad that when I was 17, I was in my first rehab and at 19, I had a criminal record. My friends and family gave up on me. It took five rehabilitation centres, being in and out jail, and months on the streets, for me to wake up enough to complete my N4 qualification in engineering.”

After leaving Wedge Gardens, he found refuge at The New Army Apostolic Church of Christ in Midrand, a church his mother is also a part of.

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He and his mother, Evelyn, helped the church properly register an existing outreach programme as a non-profit organisation and today Antony spends his time helping out with the church’s brass band initiative, which sees local youngsters being offered a constructive activity as a diversion from the many dangers faced on township streets.

The church also runs a feeding scheme when it has the resources and Antony and other church members mentor the youngsters and do drug and alcohol awareness.

Hey also started a Facebook page to reach people caught in the grip of addiction.

“I lost everything and nearly died but by God’s grace I lived to tell the tale,” he added.

“For two years, I slept on a corner in central Pretoria with nothing but a cardboard box and some plastic to shield me from the cold. That is something no one should ever experience but the sad reality is that as I lie in my warm bed at night, there are people out there in the cold, going through the same pain I went through.”

He speaks passionately about his church’s outreach programme and brass band, which is a safe refuge for 40 youngsters and he openly chats to them about his past mistakes.

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“Drug education is one thing, but hearing about the dangers of abuse from someone who they can relate to, and who has lived through the horror, has a bigger chance of being effective.”

Details: www.randaid.co.za